Most successful World Championships for British Wheelchair Basketball
The men's and women's GB Wheelchair Basketball teams have dominated the 2018 World Championships held in Hamburg, Germany this month. Both squads return home with twenty four medals in their hand luggage.
The GB Men’s Wheelchair Basketball team claim the 2018 World Championships Crown in a dramatic final game showdown against the USA.
In what was undoubtedly a battle of the wheelchair basketball titans as Paralympic Bronze medallist GB met Gold Medallist the USA in the final game of the 2018 World Championships. The USA side having served GB their only defeat in an otherwise unblemished tournament record during the pool stages.
Phil Pratt’s men left their hearts on the Hamburg court in the final as they delivered a commanding and unstoppable performance – the numbers speak for themselves with George Bates, Harry Brown, Gregg Warburton, Phil Pratt and Lee Manning all adding to the GB points tally. Bates achieving an incredible 87% FG average and Pratt making 12 assists.
Seeing the gold within their sights the GB men ratcheted up the pressure in the final quarter and cleared a strong seventeen point win. It was an emotional moment for Head Coach’s Haj Bhania’s team who headed to Hamburg with the singular mission of bringing home the gold.
Much has been said about the changing of the guard within his World Championship squad but ultimately what they brought to court was a true GB team through and through.
Following the win, Captain Phil Pratt, commented:
"Unbelievable feeling right now – to beat some of my idols growing up like Steve Serio and Matt Scott – these guys were my role models growing up and I used to watch hours and hours of their games.
"To beat them by 17 points in the final is unbelievable – I don’t think they’ve lost a game for nearly four years, so to be the team that break that streak, wow. We are such a young team – but we are good friends. This showed on the floor when times got tough – we dug in deep and knew it would come good at the end. As a team our future as a team is huge."
The British Wheelchair Basketball’s GB Performance Programme can rightfully be proud of its squad today - the men’s senior, men’s junior and women’s junior teams all now hold current World Championship titles and our GB women holding the silver.
History has been made at the 2018 World Championships with the GB men having won their first ever World Championships and the women securing their first ever place at a final and silver medal at a major.
With yesterday marking exactly two years until the Tokyo Paralympics the future is looking very good for British Wheelchair Basketball.
Play awards
- All Star Women: Helen Freeman
- MVP Tournament (Men): Gregg Warburton
